A device according to the preamble and a related method are known from the international patent application 98/41836, which describes a device for testing an optic, such as testing for light loss during lighting of the optic, testing for reflection symmetry and testing for geometric distortions. In order to test these characteristics the device is provided with a test image to be positioned on a base along a straight guide and an attaching device to be positioned on the base via a rotation for the purpose of mounting the optic. After placing of the optic in the attaching device of the device according to international patent application 98/41836, the optic has two degrees of freedom for adjustment thereof relative to the test image. In order to block the degrees of freedom the test image and the attaching device can be respectively coupled non-translatably and non-rotatably to the base.
The known device comprises a camera which is provided with a lens for detecting the lighted test image which can be recorded by a computer system which has a memory provided with a database with threshold values. Each threshold value corresponds to a characteristic quantity for a determined test and is used to determine whether test results indicate acceptable or unacceptable performance characteristics. The test signals are compared for this purpose to the threshold values, which also depend on the type of test and the type of optic. The computer system thus analyses the test results and evaluates the performance of the optic and stores the test results and evaluations in a database, for instance for future consultation thereof.
The known device and the method for testing the optic according to this patent application has the drawback that placing of the optic in the device and setting thereof relative to the test image requires professional skill, requires knowledge of the specific optic to be tested, and is thus labour-intensive, which may result in inaccuracies and/or errors in the test results, whereby the reliability of measurements decreases and may result in an incorrect evaluation of the optic.